Latin Music Week Invades Popular Music 2024: What Pipe Bueno, Yeison Jimenez, Luis Alfonso and Paola Jara Taught Us

Four of Colombia's hottest acts today joined forces at Billboard Latin Music Week 2024 for The Explosion of Colombian Pop Music panel on Tuesday (October 15).

In a panel presented by Imagen & Mercado and moderated by Alex Sensation, Luis Alfonso, Paola Jara, Pipe Bueno and Yeison Jimenez talked about the rise of Colombia's most exciting new music movement. Below, read everything you need to know about the music genre.

What is Música Popular Colombiana?

“Outside our country there is always confusion because folk music is of all genres except classical. In Colombia, it refers to heartbreak, lack of love and cuts veins. I dare say it's the cousin of Mexican and ranchera music that started in the villages and bars, but slowly spread to the cities and the rest of the country.” — Paola Jara

Why is it exploding now?

“The change of generation. We add more professionalism, more focus, more work. We also have more resources. We are in other leagues, in other eras but with the same essence and gratitude for what the pioneers did. But today is another level. I was a fan of Pipe [Bueno]and I bought his music. Thanks to him, I decided to do it. At that time, Pipe connected with the youth and eventually connected us all and that's where the new generation came from.” — Jason Jimenez

Pioneer of the New Generation

“I grew up listening to popular music. I grew up loving this genre. When it came time to become a singer, folk music was the music that was in my blood and I had a passion for singing. When this dream began, popular music was the ugly duckling of genres, with little culture. Then many doors were broken down to fall. This is due to the change of the genre in its exponents: how they dress, how they look… there is no longer a stereotype, and it has become an aspirational genre.” — Pipe Bueno

What does it take for the US to explode?

“A little more work, more noise. In Colombia there is a lot of talent that comes with the hunger to conquer the world and important musical material. We need more noise. For people to know our music. Something I admire about reggaeton and urban music is that it is one of the biggest in the world because there is a great brotherhood between them. In Colombia this chip has already changed. There was a lot of selfishness and today in folk music there is unity and strength. It only takes the match being lit and the bomb going off.” — Luis Alfonso